Discussion: Leaders and Stakeholders’ Perspectives

T

he ability to lead change requires great people skills, a level of humility that may be confusing

to some, great

vision,

hard work, belief and faith unknown to many.

The positive

outcomes that

result from great leadership are the product of daily practices instituted through careful planning

and skillful execution.

I have been fortunate to be around many leaders in

my life and they all

shared one characteristic in common.

Each of them was resilient beyond understanding.

They

had an unflappable faith in the goals set for their lives,

never gave up when things were not

going in the direction they anticipated

and

ove

rcame obstacles no matter how bleak the outcome

may have seemed.

I was taught at a very young age that there are people who could take the

same challenges I complained about and turn them into something good.

This was a great lesson

to learn that has sha

ped me as a leader today.

Doug Larson once said that "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you

would have preferred to talk"

I have learned that great leaders are also active listeners that take

what they have heard to improve any

situation they might encounter.

As I was researching the

topic of change leadership, I came across an article in the Journal of Leadership Education titled

"Leading Critically: A Grounded Theory of Applied Critical Thinking in Leadership

Studies".

The t

ext states that

“Using the knowledge gathered from reading, interpreting, judging,

and thinking to situations of leadership… it is the smart and innovative way to lead.”

This

statement affirms Mr. Larson's viewpoint of how wisdom is gained and provides a

succinct

blueprint to the "out of the box" thinking necessary for change leadership in the

educational environment.

Our school districts are in desperate need of leaders who are willing to step outside of tradition

and think differently about issues that a

ffect students culturally.

One such issue is school

discipline.

Through the years, children of color have been challenged by a school discipline

system that seemingly targets and punishes them unfairly when compared to their peers.

Problem

Statemen

t

:

For

many

years,

people

have

debated

about

disciplinary

issues

in

K

-

12

education.

People

have

failed

to

notice

the

effect

of

disciplinary

policies

on

students

of

color

particularly

African

-

American

males.

Unless

we

change

our

disciplinary

policies

to

re

flect

modern

practices,

we

will

continue

to

have

issues

with

disproportionality

in

suspensions

and

school

districts

will

continue

to

lose

funding

as

a

result.

The key stakeholders identified are local school boards,

district/school administrators, stud

ents

of color, and parents/guardians.

The local school board,

district/school administrators are all

related to the problem because they set and enforce the discipline policies for the

district.

Students of color play a key role in this issue because the

y are the ones that are directly

affected by the decisions and their parents/guardians have to deal with the aftermath of the

decisions by attempting to explain and/or make sense of the consequences given to their student.

Four questions I would ask are:

1

.

Is data used to determine the discipline policies and procedures formed in your school

district?

2.

Do students of color feel as if they are being treated fairly when it comes to school discipline?

The ability to lead change requires great people skills, a level of humility that may be confusing

to some, great vision, hard work, belief and faith unknown to many. The positive outcomes that

result from great leadership are the product of daily practices instituted through careful planning

and skillful execution. I have been fortunate to be around many leaders in my life and they all

shared one characteristic in common. Each of them was resilient beyond understanding. They

had an unflappable faith in the goals set for their lives, never gave up when things were not

going in the direction they anticipated and overcame obstacles no matter how bleak the outcome

may have seemed. I was taught at a very young age that there are people who could take the

same challenges I complained about and turn them into something good. This was a great lesson

to learn that has shaped me as a leader today.

Doug Larson once said that "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you

would have preferred to talk" I have learned that great leaders are also active listeners that take

what they have heard to improve any situation they might encounter. As I was researching the

topic of change leadership, I came across an article in the Journal of Leadership Education titled

"Leading Critically: A Grounded Theory of Applied Critical Thinking in Leadership

Studies". The text states that “Using the knowledge gathered from reading, interpreting, judging,

and thinking to situations of leadership… it is the smart and innovative way to lead.” This

statement affirms Mr. Larson's viewpoint of how wisdom is gained and provides a

succinct blueprint to the "out of the box" thinking necessary for change leadership in the

educational environment.

Our school districts are in desperate need of leaders who are willing to step outside of tradition

and think differently about issues that affect students culturally. One such issue is school

discipline. Through the years, children of color have been challenged by a school discipline

system that seemingly targets and punishes them unfairly when compared to their peers.

Problem Statement: For many years, people have debated about disciplinary issues in K-12

education. People have failed to notice the effect of disciplinary policies on students of color

particularly African-American males. Unless we change our disciplinary policies to reflect

modern practices, we will continue to have issues with disproportionality in suspensions and

school districts will continue to lose funding as a result.

The key stakeholders identified are local school boards, district/school administrators, students

of color, and parents/guardians. The local school board, district/school administrators are all

related to the problem because they set and enforce the discipline policies for the

district. Students of color play a key role in this issue because they are the ones that are directly

affected by the decisions and their parents/guardians have to deal with the aftermath of the

decisions by attempting to explain and/or make sense of the consequences given to their student.

Four questions I would ask are:

1. Is data used to determine the discipline policies and procedures formed in your school

district?

2. Do students of color feel as if they are being treated fairly when it comes to school discipline?